Track-cleaner.



P. C. SLOWE, DECD.

A. M. SLOWE, EXECUTRIX.

TRACK CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 28. 1914.

1,150,462. Patented Aug. 17, 1915.

Mrmsssss: INVENTOR W fie-92677 C 8 0206 EW/MC Wflwv COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON. D. c

warren srarn A E @flmml PRESTON C. SLOWE, 0F PHILADELPHIA, EENNSYLVANIA; ADA M. SLOWE, EXECUTRIX OF SAID PRESTON J. SLOYVE, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO A. S. WEILL,

OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

' TRACK-CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 17, 1915.

Application filed April 28, 1914. Serial No. 834,882.

citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsy Vania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Track-Cleaners, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved plow and sweeper for cleaning snow, etc, from railway tracks.

It is known in the art to apply to the fronts of street railway cars plows and sweepers of different constructions.

My invention relates to that form of known construction in which forwardly conveying rotary sweepers, drivenfrom 'the axle of the car, are combined with a plow located in front of the rotary sweepers.

The object of my invention is to render this construction more practicable, efiicient and durable by providing improved means for supporting and adjusting the sweepers and brush and for driving the sweeper and for regulating the speed at which the brushes are rotatable.

In the accompanying drawings, which show a preferred embodiment of my invention: Figure 1 is a plan view of the plow and sweeper and its supporting and actuating mechanism. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

a, a, represent the front wheels of the car, 6 the front axle, 0, the front of the car truck, and d the front of the car body.

The frame carrying the sweeper and plow is positioned on the car preferably by means of arms e pivoted on the axle. The arms a are shown as connected together at the front by means of a cross piece f having forwardly extending ends carrying bearings for the outer or rear ends of the axles of the rotary brushes 9. Brackets 2', extending forwardly from the cross-piece f on opposite sides of the latters center, carry bearings for the inner or front ends of the axles of the brushes g. The brackets 2' are prolonged forwardly beyond the brush bearings to form supports for opposite ends of the plow h.

Between the cross piece f and the bearings for the rotary brushes, the brackets c' carry bearings for opposite ends of a shaft 5', which 1s driven from the car axle Z) as hereinafter described. The shaft j carries bevel wheels 76 which mesh with and drive bevel wheels Z on the inner end portions of the shafts of the rotary brushes 9. Freely rotatable on the shaft j are two sprocket wheels m, m, driven respectively from sprocket wheels at, n on the car axle 2) through the medium of sprocket chains 0, 0. The sprockets m, m are provided with clutch faces adapted to be engaged by an intermediate clutch splined on the shaft j. The clutch is actuated by means of a hand lever 1', which is shown as pivoted on a bracket 8 on the truck frame. The cross piece f of the cleaner frame rests on the horizontally extending ends of brackets t depending from the truck of the car. These brackets support the track cleaner at what may be called its normal distance above the level of the track. The track cleaner is adjustable above the normal position by any appropriate means. In the drawings, I have shown the cross piece 7 resting upon, or extending over, the square head of an upright rod a, which extends through the cross piece f and also through the bracket 8,

.the rod being threaded to receive a nut 27 on the lower end of an upright shaft w, which, like the clutch lever 1', extends up through the floor of the car body and is accessible to the niotorman. The shaft to is provided with a hand wheel 00. The nut o rests on the bracket 8.

To elevate the track cleaner above its normal position, the shaft w is turned in one direction, thereby turning the nut 41, which, due to its threaded engagement with the rod 20, elevates the latter, thereby lifting the track cleaner above its normal height. If the shaft to is turned in the opposite direction, the track cleaner is allowed to sink of its own weight until it again rests on the supports t. The supporting and adjusting means for the track cleaner have the advantage of allowing the track cleaner to be freely displaced upwardly in case it encounters any obstruction on the track which i it may be ineffective to remove. Due to the sleeving of the cleaner frame on the axle, the distance between the axle and the shaft 7' sweepers are supported in front of a unitary frame extending across the car while the front or inner ends of the sweepers are driven from shafts located rearwardly thereof, proves an exceedingly durable and eil'ectivemeans of supporting and driving the sweepers, while it allows the unobstructed positioning of the plow.

The sprockets m, m, n, n, are of such relative size that with a given speed of car axle, the sprockets m and m will be driven at substantially difierent speeds, whereby the speed of rotation of the sweepers may be varied. It is found that on broad thoroughfares it is desirable to displace and scatter snow over a considerable distance laterally to avoid the formation of high banks on opposite sides of the track, while in narrow thoroughfares care must be taken not to throw the snow such distance as would cause it to be deposited on the side walks. By varying the speed of rotation of the brushes, the distance to which the snow is thrown may be regulated.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a track cleaner, the combination with the car and its front axle, of forwardly converging rotary sweepers, a cross frame, bearings carried thereby in which the sweepers are rotatable, fixed supporting means holding the frame from moving below its normal position but permitting it to freely yield upwardly, and independent vertically movable supporting means for lifting and holding the frame above its normal position.

2. In a track cleaner, the combination with a car, of a frame supported thereon and extending crosswise of the car, forwardly converging rotary sweepers in front of the cross frame, a plow between the sweepers and in front of the inner forward ends of their shafts, a transverse shaft in front of the cross-frame and back of the inner forward ends of the sweeper shafts, forward extensions from the cross frame on which the transverse shaft, sweepers and plow are supported, driving connections between the car axle and the transverse shaft,

bevel wheels on the transverse shaft, and bevel wheels on the inner end portions of the rotary sweepers in front of, and in driving engagement with, the bevel wheels on the transverse shaft.

8 In a track cleaner, the combination with a car, of a cross piece extending transversely of the car, forwardly converging rotary sweepers in front ofthe cross frame,.a plow between the sweepers and in front of the inner forward ends of their shafts, a

transverse shaft ba'ckof the inner forward ends of the sweeper shafts, driving connections between the axle and the transverse shaft, driving connections between the transverse shaft and the inner forward ends of the sweeper shafts, forwardextensions from the cross piece on which the sweepers, trans verse shaft and plow are supported, arms on the cross piece sleeved on the axle and means on the car supporting the cross piece.

4:. In a track' cleaner, the combination with a car, of across piece extending transversely of the car, forwardly converging rotary sweepers in front of the cross frame, a plow between the sweepers and in front of the inner forward ends of their shafts, a transverse shaft back of the inner forward ends of the sweeper shafts,driving connections between the axle and the transverse I shaft, driving connections between the trans verse shaft and the inner forward ends of the sweeper shafts, extensions from the cross piece on which the sweepers,transverse shaft transversely of the car, forwardly converging rotary sweepers in front'of the cross piece, a transverse shaft back of the inner forward ends of the sweeper shafts, driving connections between the transverse shaft and the inner forward ends of the sweeper shafts, hearings on the cross piece in which the sweepers and transverse shaft are rotatably mounted, means on the car supporting the cross piece, a plurality of wheels rotatable on the shaft, means to drive the wheels from the axle at difierent rates of speed, and a clutch rotatable with the shaft and movable longitudinally thereon to put it into driving engagement with either wheel, whereby the speed of rotation of the sweepers relative to that of the axle may be varied. r

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand, at Philadelphia, on this 27th day of April, 1914. PRESTON C. SLOWE. Witnesses:

M. M.'HAM1LT0N, E. E. WA

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

